Night sighting means for firearms



10 5;? i I March Qr: 2a236736 April 1, 1941. SCOTT 2,236.736

NIGHT .SIGHTING MEANS FOR FIREARMS Filed Sept. 12, 1938 2 Sheets-Sheet l 2 m. ELEM mm March April 1, 1941. A. B, sco-r'r NIGHT SIGHTING MEANS FOR FIREARMS Filed Sept. 12, 1938 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 Patented Apr. 1, 1941 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE 6 Claims.

The invention relates to a night sighting device of the same general type as that disclosed in Patent No. 2,085,732, of July 6, 1937, granted to Warner Baxter and the present applicant. In this type of device a lamp is provided in a casing disposed alongside of the barrel of the firearm and the lamp operates to cast a small spot of light on the target in such a way that if the firearm is fired while the spot of light is on the target the projectile from the firearm will strike the target very close to the point on which the spot of light rested. The lamp employed in this device is usually an electric lamp having an incandescent filament, and, although these filaments are fairly rugged, they may be impaired occasionally by the shock due to the recoil of the fiream when discharged.

' The general object of this invention is to provide simple means for supporting the lamp casing in such a way that the shock due to the recoil of the firearm will be substantially absorbed, and thereby prevent it from being imparted to the filament of the lamp.

In a preferred construction, the lamp casing is supported at the side of the firearm through the agency of a bracket or through the agency of a portion of the frame of the firearm, and one of the objects of the invention is to provide cushioning means associated with the fastener which attaches the parts together in such a way that although the lamp casing will be maintained in substantially fixed relation with respect to the axis ofthe barrel of the firearm, nevertheless the shock of the recoil will be substantially absorbed.

A further object of the invention is to provide means for cushioning the shock of the recoil not only through the point of connection that supports the lamp casing on the device or the firearm, but also to provide for cushioning the imparting of any shock to the lamp itself at the point where it is supported in the lamp casing.

While many different embodiments of the invention may be employed, one of the objects of the present invention is to provide embodiments of the invention which will adapt the same to be applied to different types of pistols or firearms.

The invention consists in the novel parts and combinations of parts to be described hereinafter, all of which contribute to produce an efficient night sighting means for firearms.

A preferred embodiment of the invention is described in the following specification, while the broad scope of the invention is pointed out in the appended claims.

In the drawings:

Figure l is a side elevation of an embodiment of the invention constructed as an attachment to be slid onto the frame of a pistol. In this view, the pistol is illustrated in dotted outline.

Figure 2 is a front elevation of the parts illustrated in Figure 1, but showing the pistol in full lines.

Figure 3 is a top plan view of the device removed from the pistol, certain parts being broken away and shown partially in section. This View, however, shows a short portion of the frame of the pistol in cross-section, and in dotted lines it indicates the socket of an electric light cord which is attached to the rear end of the lamp casing.

Figure 4 is a side view of the device, as illustrated in Figure l, but looking at the same from the opposite side from that illustrated in Figure 1.

Figure 5 is a vertical section taken about on the line 55 of Figure 3, further illustrating details of the device and the means for supporting the same on the firearm and absorbing the shock of the recoil.

Figure 6 is a perspective of a pad of yielding material which I prefer to employ in the connection that supports the lamp casing.

Figure 7 is also a perspective broken away, and this view illustrates a collar of yielding material which I prefer to employ for supporting the lamp socket in the lamp casing.

Figure 8 is a plan illustrating another embodiment of the invention in which it is constructed, so as to be applied to the barrel of the firearm at the sight in substantially the manner as in the patent referred to above. In this View, the outline of the firearm is shown in dotted lines.

Figure 9 is a longitudinal section upon an enlarged scale taken about on the line 9-9 of Figure 8, further illustrating details of the saddle that secures the device to the barrel of the firearm, and in this view a portion of the sight and a portion of the barrel of the firearm are indicated in dotted lines.

Figure 10 is a cross-section taken on the line Ill-l0 of Figures 8, but on the same scale as that illustrated in Figure 9.

Figure 11 is a view similar to Figure 9, but illustrating the device as applied to the forward end of the barrel of a machine gun. A portion of the machine gun is illustrated in dotted lines.

Before proceeding to a more detailed description of the invention, it should be stated that in practising the invention I provide a projector including an electric lamp and means associated with the lamp for projecting a spot of light on the target. I also provide yielding material between the firearm and the projector for supporting the projector and for absorbing a portion of the shock incident to the discharge of the firearm. This effect is preferably accomplished by providing a pad of yielding material between the firearm and projector, and also by providing means for cushioning the fastening means that secures the projector to the firearm. In this way, a considerable portion of the shock of the recoil is absorbed before being imparted to the lamp casing. In addition to this, I prefer to provide means for cushioning the means that enables the lamp casing to support the lamp socket.

Referring more particularly to the parts, and especially to Figures 1 to 3, inclusive, I indicates a pistol of common form having a barrel 2 and having a frame extension 3 that extends forwardly in front of the trigger guard 5.

In this type of the device, I prefer to support the device on the frame extension 3, and this may be accomplished by giving this frame extension a special construction to facilitate this, or else by providing means for adapting the firearm to receive the device. In either case, each side of the extension 3 is preferably provided with a guide tongue 4, which is preferably substantially rectangular or square in cross-section (see Fig. 5). If the firearm is constructed so as to cooperate with this device, these tongues 4 would be formed as an integral part of the extension 3. If not, they would be formed as separate pieces and then secured in place by small machine screws. In the present instance, these tongues 4 are supposed to be formed as an integral part of the extension 3. In order to enable the attachment to be effected, I provide a bracket 6 preferably in the form of a block with a deep channel I on its upper side (see Fig. 5). This channel is substantially half round with oppositely disposed substantially vertical side faces in which I form oppositely disposed longitudinal grooves 8 to slide longitudinally over the forward ends of the tongues 4. I also prefer to provide means for latching the block 6 on these tongues, and for this purpose I provide one of the tongues 4 with a transverse notch 9 (see Fig.

3) and I provide the outer side of the bracket 6 I opposite this tongue with a latching button I having a reduced tip II that is adapted to fit into this notch as.illustrated in Fig. 3. This button has a small opening through it, through which a wire spring I2 is threaded, the forward end of said spring being secured in a shallow recess or groove l3 by means of a small screw I4. The rear end of the spring l2 projects slightly at the rear end of the bracket, at which point it forms a head |2a that can be moved outwardly to release the tip II from the notch or socket 9.

The rear end of the channel I is cut away to form a deep square notch l to receive the forward end of the trigger guard 5, as indicated by the dotted lines in Fig. 2. This bracket 6 supports a sleeve l6 having a bore to receive the lamp casing H, which is of tubular form and secured in the sleeve by means of small set screws l8 (see Fig. 5).

The sleeve I6 is preferably formed with an integral downwardly projecting wing l9, the side of which is formed with a seat face 20 that is clamped up against a cooperating seat face 2|, which is formed at the side of the bracket 6, and between these two seat faces, yielding material is placed to take up the shock of the recoil. In the present instance, this yielding material is in the form of a pad 22 (see Fig. 6). This pad 22 comprises a relatively thin body 23 on the sides of which laterally projecting ribs 24 are formed, and these ribs are received in corresponding recesses formed in the seat faces 20 and 2|.

Fastening means is provided for clamping the wing l9 against the seat face 2|, and this preferably consists of two screws 25 (see Figs. 1 and 5), which are threaded into the bracket 6 and passing through oversized openings 26 in the wing. These over-sized openings 26 have counterbores 21 respectively, to receive a bushing 28 of yielding material, which fits tight on the body of the screw 25. The pad 22 and the bushing 28 are preferably formed of rubber or similar yielding material, and they cooperate so that there is no metal to metal contact between the bracket 6 and the wing l9; and any shock from the recoil of the firearm in being discharged, must pass through this pad and through the bushing 26 before imparting any impulse to the sleeve. In this way a substantial part of the recoil is absorbed.

The lamp casing H is of tubular form, and carries projecting means such as head 29 carrying lenses and other means such as employed in the prior patent referred to above, for casting a spot of light upon the target.

At the rear end of the casing I! an electric lamp 30 is mounted, carrying a filament 3|; and the socket 32 for this lamp is provided with means for yieldingly securing it in the lamp casing H. For this purpose I prefer to provide the socket 32 with a projecting collar 33, the edge of which is received in an annular groove 34 formed on the inner face of a bushing or ring 35 of yielding material such as rubber. This ring is, of course, of soft rubber so that it can be applied over the edge of the collar or flange 33, and the ring 35 is received in a cap 36 that is screwed onto the end of the lamp casing (see Fig. 3). If desired, a metallic spring washer 31 may be provided at the back of the cap 36 to press the forward face of the rubber ring 35 against the rear end of the casing H.

In the embodiment of the invention illustrated in Figs. 8-11, the attachment may be made to the barrel of the firearm, which barrel 38 is illustrated in dotted lines in Fig. 8. In this case, I provide a bracket 39 having a channel or socket 40 formed on its under side and provided with a horseshoe shaped spring clip 4|, which is adapted to snap over the barrel 38 as indicated in Fig. 10'. The sight 42 of the firearm is received in a socket 43 in the forward end of the bracket 39. The spring 4| may be secured in place by two small machine screws 44.

The rear end of the socket 43 may be provided with a small plug 45 to form a hard surface to engage the rear edge of the sight 42. This prevents longitudinal movement of the bracket after it is put in place, and in this way cooperates with the spring 4| to assist in holding the bracket in position on the barrel.

At the side of the bracket a sleeve 46 is provided for carrying projecting means 41, which is similar to the projecting means already described in connection with Figs. 1-3. In other words, I provide a pad 48 (see Fig. 10) which is similar in form to the pad illustrated in Fig. 6. The fastenin'g means preferably consists of two screws 49 that are threaded through the adjacent side face of the sleeve 46; and in order to enable this to be accomplished, the outer side of the bracket 39 is provided with two large openings such as the opening 50 (see Fig. 10). These screws 49 have their heads mounted in rubber bushings 5| similar to the bushings '28 already described, but in this case the heads of the screws are preferably countersunk into the bushings to give more clearance for movement of the forks of the horseshoe-shaped springs M. In this mounting, as in the mounting already described, however, there is no metal to metal contact between the sleeve 46 and the bracket 39.

In both embodiments of the invention described, the rear end of the lamp casing is formed into a plug to be received in a socket such as the socket 52 (see Fig. 3) that operates as a connecting head or coupling for an electric cord 53 leading from a battery. This battery would be carried in a pocket of the person using the firearm, with sufficient length of electric cord connecting it to the firearm, to enable the same to be moved as might be necessary in aiming it, or removing it, from a holster.

In Fig. 11 I illustrate one of the devices constructed as illustrated in Figs. 8-10, applied to the barrel 54 of a machine gun. In this case the bracket 39a is formed with an enlarged recess 55 to receive the enlarged forward end of the barrel 54.

It is understood that the embodiment of the invention described herein is only one of the many embodiments this invention may take, and I do not wish to be limited in the practice of the invention, nor in the claims, to the particular embodiment set forth.

One of the advantages arising from the employment of the ribs 24 on the pad 22 is that they facilitate the attachment of the projector to the firearm and assure the perfect alignment of the axis of the projector with respect to the axis of the pistol barrel. This is necessary in order to insure that the light spot will be cast on the target close to the point at which the bullet will strike.

It will be evident that in accordance with my invention, the projector is insulatingly and yieldingly mounted on the firearm; that is to say, it is supported in such a way that there are no faces of rigid parts in contact with each other. Hence when the shock from the explosion of the cartridge in the firearm occurs, it can only be imparted to the projector through the yielding shock insulation.

It will be noted that the resilient sheet or pad 22 when in place, is held between two substantially vertical seat faces when the firearm is being fired. This is most advantageous because it gives a disposition of the resilient pad or rubber in a way most favorable to absorbing the shock of the recoil when the firearm is fired. This shock, of course, is developed in a vertical plane, and the relatively large vertical section of this pad between the firearm and the lamp casing is very effective in absorbing this shock force, and thereby preventing injury tothe filament of the lamp.

What I claim is:

1. In a night sighting device, the combination of a firearm, a projector including an electric lamp and means associated with the lamp for projecting a spot of light on the target, a pad of yielding material between the firearm and the projector, fastening means for securing the projector to the firearm, and. a bushing of yieldfiearch Ream ing material associated with the fastening means, said parts cooperating to insulatingly support the projector on the firearm with contact effected solely through the pad and bushing, said pad and bushing operating to absorb a portion of the shock incident to the discharge of the firearm.

2. In a night sighting device, the combination of a firearm, a projector including an electric lamp with an incandescent filament, means associated with the lamp for projecting a spot of light on the target, and a connection for supporting the projector on the firearm, said connection including yielding insulation material maintaining rigid parts of the lamp and firearm out of contact with each other, and operating to insulatingly absorb a portion of the shock incident to the discharge of the firearm.

3. In a night sighting device, the combination of a firearm, a projector including an electric lamp and means associated with the lamp for projecting a spot of light on the target, said firearm and said projector having means presenting opposed seat faces with recesses therein, an insulating pad of yielding material disosed between said seat faces insulating said faces from contact with each other, and having extensions projecting into said recesses, and means for yieldingly clamping the projector to the firearm adjacent said seat faces.

4. In a night sighting device, the combination of a firearm having a barrel and having means presenting a seat face with a groove therein exvtending substantially parallel with the axis of the barrel, a projector including an electric lamp and means associated with the lamp for projecting a spot of light on the target, said projector having a seat face opposed to the firstnamed seat face and having a groove therein substantially aligning with the first-named groove, a pad for insulating the projector and barrel, located between said faces and having ribs extending into said grooves, and means for yieldingly and insulatingly clamping the projector to the firearm adjacent said seat faces.

5. In a night sighting device, the combination of a firearm, a projector including an electric lamp and means associated with the lamp for projecting a spot of light on the target, a bracket detachably mounted on the firearm and having a seat face at its side disposed in a substantially vertical plane, and yielding means for insulatingly supporting the projector at said substantially vertical seat face operating to prevent direct contact between rigid parts of the firearm and projector, and absorb a portion of the shock force imparted either up or down in a substantially vertical plane when the firearm is discharged.

6. In a night sighting device, the combination of a firearm, a projector connected to the same including an electric lamp and means associated with the lamp for projecting a spot of light on the target, said firearm and said projector having opposed faces disposed in a substantially vertical plane, and a pad of yielding material held between the said substantially vertical faces operating as a yielding insulation for supporting the projector to absorb shock forces due to the recoil of the firearm, and so that said shock forces must be imparted to the projector only through said yielding material.

ALBERT B. SCOTT. 

